WE ARE CTA

325,000 MEMBERS STRONG

May 13, 2009

Teachers, Parents and Public School Supporters to Celebrate ‘Day of the Teacher’ and Rally Voters to Support May 19 Special Election Props. 1A-1F

Contact: Mike Myslinski at 650-552-5324

Educators across the state will spend today’s 27th annual California “Day of the Teacher” holding rallies, calling voters and staging protests over school cuts to focus the public on why it’s so critical to pass Propositions 1A-1F on the May 19 special election ballot.

The state’s economy is reeling. California already ranked 47th in the nation in education spending before the new state budget was approved in February and our schools and colleges were cut more than $11 billion in vital funding. More than 27,000 teachers received pink slips in March. If all five of the budget-related propositions fail on May 19, the state will lose about $23 billion in revenue over the next four years – meaning more drastic cuts to education, children’s health care, public safety and programs for seniors and the disabled.

“The Day of the Teacher theme this year is ‘California Teachers – Standing up for a Better Tomorrow’ and that’s why teachers are spending the day continuing to get out the vote for this critical election,” said David A. Sanchez, president of the 340,000-member California Teachers Association. “We can’t have a better tomorrow if we ignore the funding crisis our schools face today. Propositions 1A and 1B especially need to pass if the state is to begin repaying our schools the more than $9 billion they are owed by law.”

CTA President Sanchez is available for interviews on this critical election. Contact Mike Myslinski at 408-921-5769 for information. All of the events listed below are on Wednesday, May 13. For media planning purposes, here is a sampling:

Greater Bay Area Day of the Teacher Events

SAN JOSE: CTA Vice President Dean Vogel will join hundreds of Santa Clara County teachers at a Day of the Teacher rally in support of the May 19 propositions. The rally is 3:30-5 p.m. at Quimby Road and Capitol Expressway, near Eastridge Mall, Wednesday and will feature a row of empty chairs representing local teachers laid off because of state budget cuts. Contact: Mike Myslinski at CTA at 408-921-5769 (cell).

FOSTER CITY: Teachers from San Carlos and Belmont school districts will join parents in phone-banking for Props. 1A and 1B. The event is 4-6 p.m. Wednesday at the CTA Regional Resource Center, 333 Hatch Drive, Foster City, 94404. Contact: Rick Wathen at CTA at 650-577-5150.

SAN LORENZO: Teachers and parents from San Lorenzo Unified School District in Alameda County will hold a rally at 3:45 p.m. against school cuts at corner of Hesperian and Lewelling boulevards in San Lorenzo. They will call for a yes vote on the May 19 propositions to save school programs and jobs. Contact: San Lorenzo Education Association President Cathy Lee at 510-378-9106 (cell).

SALINAS:Educators from all over Monterey County will join parents in a night of community phone-banking for all measures on the May 19 ballot. The event is 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at the CTA Regional Resource Center, 928 E. Blanco Road, Suite 100, Salinas, 93901. Contacts: Alisal Unified teacher John Aaron at 831-262-9181 (cell) or Jim Gutman at CTA, 831-783-3200.

Southern California

MANHATTAN BEACH: A media availability about a parent video concerning saving pink-slipped teachers in Manhattan Beach Unified School District will be held from 11 a.m. to noon at Grand View Elementary, 455 24th St., Manhattan Beach, 90266. Teachers will discuss why school cuts make voting yes May 19 more critical. Parents working with an education foundation will discuss the video they made of rapping students to save teachers’ jobs at Grand View. Parents posted the video on YouTube at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi_mkkZTAcg Contact: Manhattan Beach Unified Teachers Association President Rachel Thomas at 310-722-6962 (cell).

TUSTIN: Teachers represented by the Tustin Educators Association will join community supporters in rallies for Props. 1A and 1B from 3:30-5 p.m. Wednesday at three intersections: the corner of Irvine Boulevard and Newport Avenue; Irvine and Jamboree; and the intersection of Redhill and Walnut. Visuals include banners and posters. Contact: Teacher Lisa Hickman, the TEA political action chair, at 949-378-6723 (cell).

OCEANSIDE: Teachers from Oceanside Teachers Association and Carlsbad Unified Teachers Association will unfurl banners and wave signs urging a yes vote on Props. 1A-1F from two Highway 78 freeway overpasses, at El Camino Real and at Jefferson. The time of the actions is 4-5:30 p.m. Contact: Oceanside Teachers Association President Terry Hart at 760-978-7406 (cell).

SAN MARCOS: Educators from San Marcos Educators Association and the Escondido Elementary Educators Association will gather from 4-5:30 p.m. to urge a yes vote on the May 19 propositions from the Highway 78 Twin Oaks overpass. Contact: Mike Devries, president of San Marcos Educators Association, at 760-846-1724 (cell).

FALLBROOK: Scores of teachers will march from several different schools and rally together for the May 19 measures from 3:15-4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Northgate Plaza, corner of Los Ranchitos Road and Las Gallinas Avenue in Fallbrook. Contact: Laura Dupre at 760-586-8006.

Central Valley

SACRAMENTO: Parents will join teachers in phone-banking about the urgent need to vote yes on May 19. Hosted by Sacramento City Teachers Association, 5300 Elvas Ave., Sacramento, 95819. Times are 4-6 p.m. and 6-8 p.m on Wednesday. Refreshments will be served. Contact: Linda Tuttle, president of SCTA, at 916-452-4591.

BAKERSFIELD: About 1,500 teachers, parents and students are expected to attend a Day of the Teacher picnic honoring all Kern County educators at Yokuts Park off the Truxtun exchange and Empire Drive in Bakersfield. High school choirs and jazz bands will perform. Information about supporting Props. 1A-1F will be provided. The event is 4-7 p.m. Contact: Mitch Olson, president of the Kern High Faculty Association, at 661-706-6034 (cell).

CHICO: Teachers in the Chico area will also observe Day of the Teacher with a joint phone-banking about the special election effort at the CTA Regional Resource Center, 1430 East Avenue, #1, Chico, 95926. Educators from Butte County Teachers Association, Chico Unified Teachers Association and Thermalito Teachers Association will be making phone calls to voters on behalf of Props. 1A-1F between 5-7:30 p.m. Contact: Brian Stafford at 530-345-9743